Lowry rips record-equalling 62 to take Abu Dhabi lead
Shane Lowry. ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy
Shane Lowry got 2019 off to a rip-roaring start when he opened with a course record equalling, 10-under par 62 in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championshipp.
The Clara man (31) made ten birdies in a brilliant display of ball-striking to match Henrik Stenson’s 12-year old course record and lead by three strokes in the clubhouse from South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen and France’s Mike Lorenzo Vera.
“I'm obviously over the moon,” said Lowry, whose birdie putt for a 61 on his final hole came up just short. “It equals the best score I've ever shot. I knew that, as well, and I said it to my caddie coming down the last.
“A birdie here would be the best score I've ever shot. He said, well, then why don't you just go for it. I mean, look, I left the putt short, but I felt like I hit a decent putt, it was just a bit more into the grain than I felt, and yeah, obviously I'm very chuffed.”
Lowry put his hot start down to some of the best off-season preparation of his career after a difficult 2018 that saw him fail to juggle both tours and lose his PGA Tour card.
“I had a lovely break at Christmas,” he said. “I was home for the whole lot of it, and I came out here with my family and rented a house in Dubai. We've had it since the 3rd of January. Myself and Paul Dunne are sharing the house and we're practising together and we've been playing a lot together over at the Els Club together over in Dubai, and we got some great work done.
“I feel good about my game. It's probably the best preseason I've ever done, and it showed today. I'm just hoping I can keep going.”
Course record tied ✍🏼🥇
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) January 16, 2019
And @ShaneLowryGolf leads by three.#ADGolfChamps #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/M2ApMPLNqs
His 62 equalled the lowest of his 11-year professional career — the 62 he shot in the second round of the Irish Open in his first start in a professional event at County Louth in 2009. Scores
On that occasion, Lowry went on to win the event as an amateur, beating Robert Rock in a playoff.
This one could prove equally pivotal for the Clara man, who is 75th in the world and looking to get back into the top 50. But while he admits that making Pádraig Harrington’s Ryder Cup team is a goal, he’s trying to take things one round at a time and concentrate on getting the best out of every round, no matter how he plays.
“Look, it's funny, I had a great conversation with my coach [Neil Manchip] last night,” he said. “He's here, and we had a coffee and we were just talking about things, and you know, we both agreed that like in this game, you just have to go out, shoot the best score you can no matter what score you shoot.
“If I go out there and shoot 74 today, I still have to just go and have my dinner this evening and go out and see what I can shoot tomorrow.So that's kind of what I try and do is just go out and try and shoot the best score I can.”
While he will concentrate on the European Tour after failing to keep his US card last year, he knows that he can still challenge for a Ryder Cup spot when qualifying begins in the latter half of the year, mixing WGC’s and majors with Rolex Series events and occasional trips across the pond.
“Yeah, look, like I sat down at the end of the year to plan out my schedule for this season, and I could have got in a few events in America if I tried with my category and maybe got an invite here or there, but my main goal for the next 18 months is to be… playing with Paddy,” he said.
“I'm obviously very good friends with him. I've never played Ryder Cup, and I really want to at some stage, but to play with him as my captain would be unbelievable. That's my plan.”
World No 2 Brooks Koepka started well, carding a five-under 67 as No 3 Dustin Johnson battled his way to a 69 despite not playing his best.
Defending champion Tommy Fleetwood, who is bidding for a hat-trick if was, was tied for 13th with Johnson after a 69.
Greystones’ Paul Dunne was one of the later starters.
